The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the best coaching staffs in the league right now, at least on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is one of the best at his craft, and he's not the only one.
All things considered, it's not much of a surprise to hear that Christian Parker is also drawing some fuss as a potential defensive coordinator. The Eagles' defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator has been instrumental in developing Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, helping them turn into All-Pro-caliber players.
While having two stellar assistant coaches is a great problem to have, the Eagles could also use some clarity. Fangio is no spring chicken, and if he doesn't intend to stick around for long, he might as well let the team know that they must retain Parker at all costs, especially with him drawing interest for the rival Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator job, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Eagles Must Figure Out What Vic Fangio's Future Looks Like
Fangio has never been shy about his love for the grind. Two years ago, when he was still with the Miami Dolphins, the former head coach said he didn't have any intention of walking away from the game. If anything, he'd like to coach for another decade:
“I still have a lot of coaching left in me,” Fangio told NFL.com back in February 2023. “It’s not like I’m thinking about retirement or anything. Somebody asked, ‘How much longer are you going to do this?’ I don’t know. It might be 10 years, if they’ll have me here for 10 years... I like the competition. I like teaching players. I like to see players improve as individuals. And putting something together is challenging and fulfilling.”
Since making that quote, Fangio played a key role in the Eagles' Super Bowl 59 win, potentially adding to his desire to stick around as long as possible. At the same time, that also meant the 67-year-old DC finally got to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, which could also leave him with one less reason to reach that 10-year goal.
If he still feels the same way, the Eagles could hold onto him for the next seven years, which isn't the worst news — especially if he doesn't lose a step. Then again, Fangio is someone with previous head coaching experience, and as such, he might have some aspirations to be a head coach one more time before calling it a career.
Fangio has most definitely earned his stripes in the league, and he should walk away from the game on his own terms. That being said, this is a ruthless business that can't afford to wait for anybody, and with a rising (and potentially departing) star right there in the building who can lead this defense for years to come, the Eagles might be forced to decide at some point.